Last week, Sylvia Fox of Dublin was still waiting to hear news of several relatives who live in or were visiting the Philippines when Typhoon Haiyan, also called Typhoon Yolanda, made landfall in easternmost islands on Nov. 8. With thousands confirmed dead and others still missing, it was hard knowing that she had relatives who were living near or in the path of the storm, said Fox in an interview last week, especially knowing that she was too far away to be of any help.

A week and a half after the typhoon hit, she’d heard from many of her family members, but a handful still remained unaccounted for — a cousin, Analisa Davidson, and her family, who were in the Philippines on an extended visit, a cousin who lived and worked in the path of the storm and an elderly aunt. On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, however, word finally reached Fox. All her family members are safe. But not unaffected.

Fox’s cousin, Elona Guitguit, who owned a clothing shop and a home in Dulag, on the island of Leyte in the Philippines, lost everything in the wake of the storm, both her business and her home blowing away. She had evacuated prior to the storm, however, and waited it out in a more secure location.

Guitguit is one of the luckier ones, though, said Fox’s husband, Bruce Fox. Having owned her own business, she’s in a better place financially to rebuild. “They’re not destitute. And the good thing is that they still have their lives.”

Fox also received word of another cousin visiting the islands from Oklahoma, and an aunt living in a less protected home in the area of the storm. Guitguit was the only one who had suffered losses, however, and everyone was fine.

“I am so relieved,” said Fox.

There will be a lot of cleanup to do and relief needed in the aftermath of the storm. And the Mariposa Museum & World Cultural Center in Peterborough is doing its part to get relief to the area.

The Mariposa Museum will host a concert with Ult Mundane, a New Ipswich drummer who has performed at the Mariposa on several occasions, on Dec. at 7 p.m. All of the proceeds will be sent to Kids International Ministries for relief for Typhoon Haiyan. The museum is suggesting a donation of $10 for the event.

Lina Hervas, the wife of former Mariposa Director and cofounder David Blair, who also has family in the Philippines, said in an email to the Ledger-Transcript on Sunday that she will get the opportunity to see some of the relief efforts in person when she and her husband next visit the islands.

“I worked with Dewey and Ellen Bland in the Philippines in the 1980s. For the last year and a half, they have been doing mission work with Kids International Ministries in the Philippines,” Hervas wrote. “KIM is on the ground in the areas devastated by the typhoon, doing important work and planning to stay there for at least a year to help with reconstruction. I trust them to use our donations wisely. When David and I return to the Philippines in January, we will visit their projects and are happy to share with you what we find.”

Great Brook Elementary School in Antrim will also be coordinating a school-wide event to send aid to the Philippines, according to Principal Jim Elder. The students are only in the initial planning phases of shaping what that event will look like, though, he added.

The Antrim Marketplace is collecting monetary donations to be sent to the Adventist Developments and Relief Agency for relief efforts. Donations can also be made to the Filipino American Charitable Trust Inc. at www.fact-usa.org, or by mailing a check to 43 McAllister Rd. in Bedford. Summer clothing, light bedding, towels, toiletries, school supplies, diapers and formula and nonperishable food items can also be dropped off at the Pigeons Market or Fairdeal Properties in Manchester or the Roadway Inn in Tilton.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ex. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on twitter @AshleySaari.